Product ReviewsThe Hobbit : The Enchanting Prelude to the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1986, Mass Market, Revised edition)

The Hobbit

Excellent read. I am getting this book for a grandson so he can also enjoy this brilliant work by Tolkien ! ( He can't have my copy!!!)

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: betterworldbooks

Good price, false advertising, poor quality book

The Hobbit is an excellent book. Unfortunately, Dream Books made my experience with this a major letdown. The copy I got was not the same as the one advertised. And while the art was still great, I was specifically hoping for the advertised cover. In addition to this, the quality of the book was very poor. I understand these are cheap used books, so I wasn’t going to be too harsh, but upon opening the package my disappointment was twofold: there was (and still is, try as I might to remove it) a massive, encrusted brown food stain (I hope…), right across the title and down onto poor Bilbo’s hobbit hole. The interior is much of the same, with pages stained, creased, and home to all kinds of mysterious blemishes. Again, I understand how used books are, but at a certain point selling them, even at the measly price (which was the ONLY good part of this experience) is a lost cause. And should the interior and exterior of the book look as if they were used as toilet paper in the past… perhaps it is best if that one just gets tossed. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: dreambooks_co

There and Back Again!

Picked this up on a whim at Wal-Mart. I'd never read any Tolkien before this. I'd seen the first Lord of the Rings movie and some of the second, and liked them, but I wasn't exactly wowed. I guess my main aversion to Tolkien has always been the same as my main aversion to almost all sci-fi and fantasy literature and film in existence: that, aside from humans, all races are either 100% good or 100% evil. Example, hobbits are 100% good whereas goblins are 100% evil. This just annoys me and turns me off from a lot of "high fantasy" and lots of sci-fi as well.

Anyway, as for The Hobbit itself as a novel, I have to say, I was both underwhelmed and impressed at the same time. Having finished it, I was left with two distinct, seemingly incompatible impressions. Firstly, I didn't get how it had become regarded as such a great literary classic. It was good, I reasoned, but not great. Just a basic adventure story. And a little repetitive in its descriptions sometimes, and overall just chock with too many characters when, besides Bilbo, Gandalf and Thorin, they're all essentially just fodder, all basically the same guy with identical personalities (except for Bombur), with the only differences being their names.

The adventure itself was also very episodic. Which is fine I guess, but it left me wondering whether Tolkien was just killing time to fill out the book before getting to Smaug. And the ending was somewhat anti-climactic after all of the buildup.

There's also the distasteful revelation of what Beorn did with the goblin and warg he caught (killing prisoners makes him better than the evil goblins how?).

Now, you might be wondering, why did I rate it so high if I have so complaints about it? Well, my friends, just because something isn't perfect doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy myself while reading it. As I said, I don't get how or why this became such a literary classic, but, for what it is, a fun adventure story, it's pretty great. It's funny and has a lot of tongue-in-cheek moments. Tolkien does comical stuff quite well, in a very deadpan way. The character of Bilbo was also very endearing and easy to identify with, and I liked how clever he was in figuring out problems using cunning and intelligence instead of fighting skills or strength.

And, randomly, I liked the explanation given for Gollum's name, "Gollum" being the closest verbal approximation to a particular compulsive swallowing noise he makes. Very gross and creepy.

All in all, despite my complaints above, I did really like this book, so much so that I got a second copy as a "backup" in case something befalls my first. I even sought out and enjoyed the animated Rankin-Bass film (I actually liked its Gollum better than Andy Serkis') and am looking forward to the new movie version of it coming out soon too.

So, good book, loved it, please don't hate me for finding faults with it 'cause I did honestly enjoy it. :)Read full review...

This book will be around forever,it is truly a classic for all ages.

This book is a classic. Ive come to love all of Tolkiens writing and think that the man single handedly brought the fantasy genre tot he world. His creation of names and language is unlike anything else Ive ever read and probably will ever read in my lifetime. I think that if you have never read this book or any of his books for that matter then you should do yourself a favor and do so right now! Ive bought this book twice now since Ive worn out my first copy. I own all of his books and this is my second favorite if you count all three Lord of The Ring's books as one volume as i do. So pick this up and enjoy yourself. I think that you will find yourself becoming overtaken by its enchantment.Read full review...

The Sometimes Unknown Masterpiece!

The Hobbit is the magnificent beginning to the now popular Lord of the Rings, Trilogy. This book should be read by anyone who loves the fantasy genre, but especially for those that have enjoyed the Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit provides, (with amazingly vivid detail) a stunning desription of Middle-Earth and some of it's history. It also introduces you to Gandolf and Bilbo and how they became friends; as well as the trecherous Golem and the story of how Bilbo came to posess "The Ring". All of this is wrapped into a fantastic adventure that really stands alone from the Lord of the Rings and yet is in my opinion crucial to set up and create the background for the Lord of the Rings.

In summary; you will love this book all by itself with all it's orcs, dwarves, elves, dragon, wizard, hobbits and more. But perhaps you will take even more from it if you already have an appreciation for the Lord of the Rings. You will not be disapointed with this book wheather in hardback or in softcover.Read full review...

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, a Fantasy Classic

This is the book that started it all. The adventure of the unassuming Bilbo Baggins, a curious creature called a Hobbit. We are introduced to this facinating species both by their quirks and their courage, loyalty and intelligence. In this Master work by Tolkien the at first timid Bilbo is introduced to his first adventure by Gandalf, wizard, mentor and friend of the mild mannered hobbit.

Into the mix comes the dwarves, regal and royal, who have determined to obtain the treasure that they feel is their birth right, stolen by the evil dragon Smaug. Gandalf engineers the meeting of Bilbo and the dwarves and the adventure begins.

This wonderful tale of adventure and self discovery winds through middle earth, land of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and man. The saga entails a sub-adventure in which Bilbo, lost and alone faces a battle of wits, literally with a maligant creature named "Gollum". At the end of the riddle war Bilbo stumbles in deep dark caves with menacing Orc's around every corner in an effort to escape from Gollum. During his flight he stumbles and fall's, as his hands clutch for stability his fingers close around something.

Yes, this is where the Ring of Power comes into the picture, resulting in the later adventures of Bilbo's nephew Frodo.

The created middle earth, it's inhabitants, and the tales of adventure, fear and ultimately victory, albeit relatively brief (or there would have been no need for the trilogy to come later) is a literary classic. The Genre of fantasy books is old, but JRR Tolkien fine tuned it with this masterpiece that created a formula for all fantasy books to come.

Not only is this highly recommended reading, it should be manditory reading in schools. Tolkien assured his place in literary history with these works.Read full review...

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien, father of fantasy, philogolist, friend and colleague of C.S. Lewis, Pipe-smoker, wizard, genius! The prelude to LOTR, now 71 years since having been first published, has not aged a day. The novel is so finely fashioned, I feel I could open it and smell bacon, eggs, butter, toast, tea, mead, earthen Hobbit hole, and fine tobacco. The generations of the 60s and 70s found Tolkien to be so intriguing because industrial America was ready for escape. Escape to where? Tolkien claimed that his work was not fiction, but fact. He drew from his vast knowledge of ancient Norse mythologies, and most notably the story of Beowulf. It is this mystic glimpse into the magical past that draws us hither into worlds long lost. Here my precious, pack a bowl from the tobacco jar, blow some smoke-rings, and come to learn of Thorin son of Thrain, King under the Mountain and his immense horde of treasure, not to mention the War of Five Armies.Read full review...

Great paperback and beats a mobile device.

The Hobbit a timeless classic. Should be read by every child before junior high school.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: gatorgirl622

Thank you for a great book!

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: mtwyouth

Great Experience

The book was just as described. My child is anxious to start reading it.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: new | Sold by: bargainbookstores